Star Fox: Corruption
by FoxRocks
Summary: Following the Aparoid War, a different type of evil pervades Corneria: corruption, and criminality within the city. Fox McCloud, leader of the Star Fox team, is determined to stop the new threats as well as face off against a man with twisted ideals, bent on Corneria's destruction. This is the first of a planned trilogy, inspired by Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy. Please enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**A/N: This story is inspired by Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, one of the best films to grace the silver screen. You may notice similarities in my story to the movie throughout. Please enjoy!**

* * *

A dark, overcast day took place on Planet Corneria. It was already midday, but the clouds didn't show any sign of leaving. Rain drizzled outside, and thunder made occasional noise to complement it.

Fox McCloud watched the stormy day from inside his house, through a small window in his bedroom. Less than a month ago, with the help of his teammates, he was able to end a significant threat to the Lylat galaxy. Hostile aliens known as Aparoids attempted to take control of the galaxy; fortunately, the Star Fox team was able to put the threat to rest.

Fox's teammates were Falco Lombardi, Slippy Toad, Peppy Hare, and Krystal. Falco was the ace pilot, arrogant and determined. Slippy was the clumsy mechanic of the team, but also helped in battle. Peppy was the eldest member, who had also served with the original Star Fox team led by Fox's father, James. Krystal was a mysterious vixen, whom Fox had rescued from Planet Sauria over a year ago. Fox and Krystal shared affection for each other, despite not having much time to spend together because of war.

General Pepper, former leader of the Cornerian Army, had been attacked by the Aparoids at one point during the war. The Aparoids infected him to the point where unfortunately, he was not able to make a recovery. Not too long ago, he succumbed to his illness and died at his home.

Pepper was replaced by a cat named Terrence Wright as the Cornerian Army general. The Star Fox team was suspicious of his behavior, though, and some strange choices he made in office already. Fox had always believed Peppy should succeed Pepper…

The Star Fox team had been established to keep peace and justice in the Lylat System. Evil had always engulfed the Cornerian Army forces, and it was up to Star Fox to lead the way to victory. Fortunately, they proved to be triumphant in every war so far.

Fox was average in height, had emerald eyes, a dark green shirt and dark green pants, a white coat, and red boots. He took pride in being the leader of Star Fox, as he loved justice and hated criminality. All of his career, he fought outside forces that invaded his home. He never considered the possibility of fighting against forces within Corneria…

As Fox was lost in thought, a knock came at his door. Fox rushed over to answer it, and found out it was a Cornerian Army soldier. It was a tall dog dressed in the army uniform, and equipped with a blaster gun.

"Commander Fox, you've been requested to meet with Mr. Hare at the Cornerian Space Academy," the Cornerian soldier informed Fox.

Fox thought for a moment. _Why would Peppy need me right now?_

Peppy and Fox hadn't seen each other since the Aparoid War ended. Fox could only hope for now that it wasn't another threat…

"I'll see him as soon as I can," Fox said to the soldier.

The dog nodded and returned to his car parked in front of Fox's house. Fox watched the soldier drive off, and then went to his own car. Still wondering why Peppy would summon him, Fox drove to the Cornerian Space Academy.

When he arrived, Fox found Peppy already waiting for him at the entrance of the Academy. He looked nervous, pacing back and forth. Peppy had large ears, an orange jumpsuit, a white coat, black boots, and spectacles across his dark red eyes. Fox jumped out of his car to greet his old friend.

"Peppy! A soldier told me you wanted to see me," Fox said.

"Yes, I know," Peppy replied. "I needed to tell you that someone on Planet Fichina wants to meet with you."

Fichina was a barren, icy planet in Lylat. During the Aparoid Invasion, the Star Fox team had to fix the climate control center when Pigma Dengar set off a nasty blizzard. Pigma was an original Star Fox member that had betrayed the team a long time ago, but had been killed in a skirmish with Star Fox in the Asteroid Belt.

Fox was genuinely surprised to hear this. "Fichina? I thought the planet was deserted…"

"Not entirely," Peppy explained, "There's a fox named Draven Lichak that lives in the outskirts, where it's not as cold."

"Who is he? How did he contact us?" Fox asked.

"Lichak is an old, close friend of your father," Peppy answered. "I met him once, but ever since James died, Draven went into hiding. For some reason, he really wanted to meet with you on Fichina. He sent one of his guards here to give us the message."

Again, Fox was surprised at the news. He didn't realize James had any other close friends that he didn't know about.

"Guards?" Fox wondered. "What do you suppose he has them for?"

"Don't ask me," Peppy replied. "I suggest you see him to find out what he wants. I haven't heard from him ever since before the Lylat Wars! I can't imagine what he's been up to all these years. From what I remember, he's a nice guy, so be respectful."

"Don't worry about that, Peppy," Fox grinned. "I'm sure everything will be fine."

"Right; you'd better take one of the Arwings in the hangar. Your old one is still under repairs," Peppy said.

"Still? It's almost been a month since we beat the Aparoid Queen!" Fox exclaimed.

"I know; things have been really slow around here lately," Peppy said. "Well, you'd best get an Arwing and head out soon; Draven's guard told me it would be best if you could see him as soon as possible."

"Alright," Fox said, and made his way to the Academy's door. "I'll see you later, then!"

"Let me know how it goes!" Peppy said, waving goodbye to Fox.

Fox made his way through the Academy to the hangar, letting a guard know that he needed an Arwing. Being the leader of Star Fox, Fox didn't have to worry about being rejected very often. After a few minutes of waiting, the guard presented a ship for Fox's use. The Arwing he received was in flawless condition, shining and beautiful with the traditional white and blue colors. Fox smiled at the sight of this Arwing, now wanting it over his old one that had taken so much damage in the Aparoid War.

"Just bring it back in one piece," the guard joked, chuckling as he walked off.

Fox jumped into the cockpit, getting a feel for the controls again. He had not flown an Arwing in about a month, which was an unusually long time for Fox. Fox mostly remembered how to drive the ship, but this particular model had a few different buttons than his old one.

Once he familiarized himself with these controls, Fox flew the Arwing out of the hangar and in the direction of Planet Fichina.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Fox had several things on his mind as he flew his Arwing to Fichina. _Who exactly is Draven Lichak? How long did he know my father? What does he want me for?_

It seemed really out of the blue for one of James's friends to contact Fox after so long. It had been over 10 years since the Lylat Wars, after all. However, Fox obviously couldn't just ignore it. It was a mystery as to what Lichak wanted him for, though.

Once he arrived, Fox would contact Beltino Toad to find Draven. Beltino was the head of the research facility, and had created a computer that had the ability to track down all the citizens in Lylat. Naturally, it had proved useful on multiple occasions.

Eventually Fox reached Planet Fichina; there happened to be a massive snowstorm when he arrived. This made it more difficult for Fox to see, as the flakes incessantly hit his Arwing's windshield. Since he was a skilled pilot, and had dealt with this before, Fox was still able to reach the surface without too much trouble.

When his ship was stabilized on the snow-covered ground, Fox pulled out his communicator to call Beltino.

"Hello again, Fox!" the frog greeted Fox excitedly.

"Beltino, I need you to pinpoint Draven Lichak's exact location," Fox said to Beltino.

"Can do; just give me a moment," Beltino replied.

Fox waited for Beltino to get the location as the blizzard continued to rage outside.

"Ah, yes! Draven Lichak is in the southeast region of the planet. You should be able to find him easily, because he lives in a very big mansion; it's the largest building on the planet, even though it's one of the only ones," Beltino explained.

"Thanks; I have to go now," Fox said.

"Good luck!" Beltino replied before Fox hung up his communicator.

After that, Fox used his Arwing's built-in map system for compass purposes. Fortunately, it appeared he must be fairly close to his destination already, since his ship was in the southeast part of the planet. With the small electronic map screen, Fox took off in his Arwing again to continue flying southeast to Draven's mansion.

The snow continued to cover Fox's windshield as he drove to find the mansion. Fox had been on Fichina before though, when the climate control center was taken over by Pigma Dengar. Also, before that, Fox had encountered the Star Wolf team on Fichina during the Lylat Wars. Star Wolf was lead by Wolf O'Donnell, and also consisted of Leon Powalski and Panther Caroso. Pigma had once been a member of the team, but had been kicked out due to his greed.

For a bounty, Pigma handed James over to Andross, the mad scientist that declared war against Corneria. Unfortunately, Andross had killed James, and Fox had to take over the Star Fox team. Fox's mother, Vixy, died when Fox was too young to remember. Their deaths still haunted Fox's thoughts, but he chose not to speak about it, even though the grief could be overwhelming at times.

Ever since James had died, Peppy had been as much as a father figure to Fox as a teammate. Other than Krystal, Fox felt closest to Peppy, who had done everything he could to protect Fox. Peppy had nearly sacrificed his life to help the team reach the Aparoid Queen, and talked to Fox when he had no one else. Peppy considered it his responsibility to be there for Fox, since that's what James would have wanted most from him. Slippy and Falco could be good company, but they didn't have the seriousness and understanding Peppy possessed, which had always been a comfort to Fox in his times of need.

While Peppy was like a father to Fox, Fox was closest to Krystal, who he loved more than anyone else. Ever since he rescued her from Planet Sauria, the two had fallen in love, but did not have the opportunity to be with each other that often outside of missions. Fox was hoping at some point he could have more time with Krystal; just time to relax with one another, and not worry about their problems. Krystal shared the pain of having no parents, as both of hers were killed when her home planet, Cerinia, was destroyed. The tragedy helped bring the two together more, and made them feel closer to each other.

* * *

Eventually Fox saw the mansion - a colossal, wooden building situated on a small mountaintop. Fox wondered why anyone would build a house on Fichina, and why so large? Hopefully all the questions would be answered.

Fox found a small area to land his Arwing on near the entrance of the building. Of course, he had to be careful as he landed, since there wasn't much space and it was so high up. After Fox situated his ship on the small patch of land, he hopped out and knocked on the mansion's door.

Not long after, a tall, brown-furred fox opened the door. His ears were long, and so were his legs. There was strange, sad look in his brown eyes, but he didn't seem depressed otherwise. He was definitely the tallest fox that Fox had ever seen. Before Fox could introduce himself, the fox gave a small smile and seemed to already recognize him.

"You must be Fox McCloud," the fox declared. "You look exactly like your father. I am Draven Lichak; pleased to meet you."

"Hello, Mr. Lichak," Fox returned the smile, and shook his hand.

"Please, call me Draven," Lichak replied, and then made a motion with his hand. "Come into my house. We have much to discuss."

"Thank you," Fox said, and followed Draven into the mansion.

Fox closed the door behind him, finally away from the harsh blizzard. To Fox's surprise, the mansion was not lavishly decorated. There was carpet and tables and other basic things, but nothing excessive. There were also a few windows, but not many. Fox still wondered about the purpose behind the mansion's expansiveness. To settle his curiosity, he decided to ask.

"So, why did you build such a large mansion here?"

Draven turned around to face Fox. "Well, it's shared by my companions."

"Companions?" Fox asked.

"All in good time," said Draven with a sly smile. He spoke with a calm, straightforward tone – a tone that could conceal exactly what he was thinking. "Of course, I had one of them send the message to Corneria for you to come here."

"Yes; I wondered why you would need me, and who exactly you are," Fox said as politely as he could.

"I understand; allow me to explain. First, would you care for a drink?" Lichak offered.

"Just water would be nice, thank you," Fox replied.

Draven, nodded, and then called out, "Bonzo!"

Suddenly, a short, round monkey that was presumably Bonzo came running into the room. Draven told him to retrieve two glasses of water, to which Bonzo ran off to act upon.

"Take a seat," Draven gestured to two red chairs on the far side of the main room.

Fox sat down in one of the chairs while Draven took the other. Soon Bonzo brought out the drinks, which he neatly placed on a table in front of the chairs. After taking a mouthful of the water, Draven looked at Fox again.

"Now, allow me to explain everything," said Lichak, in his usual, calm-collected tone.

And Fox listened as Draven began to tell his story.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"I met your father at the Flight Academy, before he led Star Fox," Draven explained.

"I grew up with little in Corneria, hopeful I could make something of myself one day. Both of my parents died before I reached adulthood. Fortunately, I was accepted into the Academy; the commanders seemed impressed by my skills. James and I worked together most of the time while we were in training, and shared many similar thoughts. General Pepper, who had been fairly new in office at the time, was forming the Star Fox team idea. I was interested in exactly what he had in mind, but he did not want me in the team."

"Why not?" Fox asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," Draven replied. "After James and Pepper started it, he never wanted me to join; instead Peppy and Pigma joined with James, as you know. Of course, a few years later, I was devastated to hear that James had been killed by that mad scientist from Corneria…"

"He's gone now," Fox added, seeing an anger flare in Draven's eyes.

"But the damage has been done. Crime cannot be tolerated, and there are no exceptions. Those without civility and morals should be allowed to die," Lichak said, keeping the anger out of his voice.

Before Fox could speak, Lichak continued, "I made new friends after leaving the Flight Academy. Other men that hated crime, and wanted to fight against it without joining the military. Shortly after I had assembled our group, we discovered that Planet Corran had been consumed by corruption and crime. You've probably never heard of it, but it was a city planet much like Corneria. At its peak of decadence, we bombed the planet to the point of annihilation."

Fox's eyes widened, and he jumped at the words. "Bombed?! Why?! How?!"

"Because it needed to die!" Lichak threw back. "We used weapons from Corneria's Army Center to blow it up; I still had access to Corneria's confidential areas, having once been involved in the Academy. Fortunately we were able to obliterate all of it."

"But how could you bomb an entire planet like that?! Surely not everyone there was a criminal?" Fox retorted.

"It's a sacrifice that has to be made," Draven answered firmly and solemnly. "My group, the Pakat, knows the only way to get rid of crime is to destroy all those who commit it. And unfortunately, innocent ones must also be eradicated if they stand in the way."

At this point, Fox was disgusted. How could anyone think it was all right to kill hundreds of innocent people? Even if it did remove crime, there was no way that it was worth it…

"Why did you invite me here?" Fox suddenly demanded.

"It's quite simple; I want you to join the Pakat," Draven answered, still serious.

"I refuse," Fox said almost immediately.

"Now, wait a moment," Lichak said apprehensively. "At least think it over. We share a hatred for injustice, and we could be unstoppable in eliminating it. You have such fierce determination, and your success greatly outweighs any mercenary before you. Like Corran, Corneria has become a place filled with crime."

"What makes you say that?" Fox replied angrily, even though he was aware that things were becoming crooked there.

"Try to hide the facts, but it has become obvious that it is not the planet it once was," Draven said with a convinced nod. "When I heard rumors, I had members of Pakat go within the city, and they've told me the truth. Ever since the Aparoid War, immorality has flooded the planet. Fox… Corneria must be destroyed…"

"That's outrageous!" Fox yelled back. "Even if there is more crime like you say, it can be disposed of without blowing up the entire planet! You can't expect me to even consider killing all those innocent people!"

"Unfortunately, you are more like your father than I had hoped," said Draven, staring coldly at Fox. "He didn't believe in drastic measures, which have to be taken if true progress is to be made. The Pakat will find a way to wipe out Corneria, with or without your consent."

"What my father believed didn't concern murdering hundreds of innocents," Fox said angrily. "I will not join Pakat, and I won't allow you to destroy Corneria. Your plan is reckless and twisted."

"I misjudged you," Lichak said sullenly, eyes glaring. "If you plan on stopping us, then I cannot let you leave this place alive…"

Then, Lichak snapped his fingers to summon six Pakat warriors, including Bonzo. They began to slowly advance on Fox, who stood his ground and continued to stare at Lichak.

"I'll return to Corneria, and I'll fight criminality with true justice," Fox declared without uncertainty.

Suddenly, one of the monkeys unsheathed a long sword from his scabbard; without warning, he began to swing wildly at Fox, who immediately moved out of the way. Fox noticed a chandelier above the guards, large and garlanded with its gold complexion. Fox threw a smart bomb into the chain, and a magnificent explosion caused the chandelier to fall and crush many of the warriors into the wooden floor; other parts of the ceiling came down to bury the Pakat guards. The bomb also triggered more damage on the other floor, and fire began to spread.

Bonzo slammed his body into Fox, sending them into the nearby wall. Fox responded with a hard punch to his jaw, which helped stun the monkey. Fox didn't let up, kicking Bonzo's face to finish him off.

Fox spun around to find another henchman running at him, this one a gangly cat. In just enough time, Fox blocked a punch from the warrior, and came back with a hard hit to the cat's stomach. To further disable the cat, Fox threw him headfirst into the wall, causing him to fall unconscious.

At this point, Draven leapt up from his chair and jumped past the wreckage of the chandelier to confront Fox. Fox wasn't quick enough to block a tough punch to the chest. He ducked to avoid the next one though, and elbowed Draven in the face to stun him.

Before Draven could react, Fox threw another smart bomb across the room to further damage the house. He didn't want to do it, but Fox knew he had to destroy the mansion to slow down the Pakat and Lichak. Fox pulled out his blaster, and turned back to face Draven, who seemed more worried about his house than scared of death. Fox noticed many Pakat warriors running out of the dilapidated house, sliding down the snowy mountain. They escaped through the hole Fox had blown up in the far wall.

Suddenly, a pillar near the end of the hallway collapsed, and the rest of the roof began to fall behind Fox and Draven. More debris continued to fly around, the smart bomb's detonation having wrecked most of the house. The chain reaction caused the other floors to shake and fall apart, since it had broken the supporting pillars. Lichak looked at Fox once more, a frown etched on his glum face. Fox decided to put his gun away, not wanting to kill Draven.

"Do not think this ends here," Draven warned Fox, his eyes filled with disappointment and anger.

Fox did not respond, leaving the burning house to retreat to his Arwing. He was able to get into the ship and escape the area, watching some of the guards slide down the mountain to safety. Fox felt terrible about the entire situation, having hoped that Lichak would have been the person he expected. A friend to his father… how could it have been…

_Hopefully this will keep the Pakat busy, _Fox thought to himself, looking at the dilapidated house one last time.

Then, with a sense of remorse, Fox flew away from the dismantled mansion and back to Corneria.

* * *

**A/N: I apologize for the long wait for this chapter. I tried to get it going earlier, but I lost focus and time. Unfortunately I haven't had much time or inspiration to write recently, but I'm happy to do what I can. I will do my best to continue this story as well as Twilight Princess, even though it' been a while. Thanks again for your patience and support everyone! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

All the way back to Corneria, Fox thought about the dreadful encounter with Draven. He thought back to how Draven had mentioned General Pepper wouldn't let him in the Star Fox team. It must have been because of what he believed in, killing innocents and all.

_Why would my father befriend him…? _Fox wondered.

Perhaps Lichak never told James everything, and only Pepper knew. Aside from his twisted view, Lichak had been decent to Fox, and seemed quite intelligent. Of course, intelligence is never a good thing when your opponent has it…

Fox tried to shift his mind off of the bad event and look forward to getting back home. He could relax and rest his worries for a while. He could be with Krystal again…

The journey back to Corneria felt a little shorter than the one to Fichina. Once he got back, Fox would have to tell everyone about the encounter. Or maybe he shouldn't? Well, at least Peppy would want to know since he informed Fox about Draven in the first place. Fox felt comfortable telling Peppy anything, though, so he wouldn't really mind.

As for the rest of the team, Fox didn't really want to trouble anyone else right now. Lichak's entire house was burned down anyway; how much of a threat could he be now? The big problem right now was the increasing crime rates in Corneria, as Draven pointed out. Fox wouldn't kill thousands of innocents to stop it, though.

* * *

When he got back to Corneria, he parked his Arwing back inside of the hangar of the Academy where he had originally received it. It was morning time in Corneria now; Fox had spent a lot of time traveling to and from Fichina in addition to meeting Draven. Peppy happened to be inside the hangar, conversing intensely with a Cornerian soldier. Wondering what could be going on, Fox hopped out of the Arwing once he was parked.

"…that's absurd! Wright should have talked with me about it!" Peppy yelled at the soldier.

"You should not question the general's orders, Mr. Hare," the Cornerian soldier replied. "That is all he had to tell you for now."

With that, the soldier marched out of the hangar. Fox approached Peppy, noticing a frustrated look in his eyes.

"What was that all about?" Fox asked him gently.

Peppy looked at Fox, solemn and downtrodden. "Bad news; General Wright has prohibited any activity from Star Fox. In other words, the team has been completely revoked."

Enraged, Fox immediately responded with an angry yell, "What?! How's that possible?"

"Being the Cornerian Army General, Wright has complete control of just about all military activities, which includes Star Fox," Peppy explained. "I'm sorry…"

"But why would he just do something so strange like that?!" Fox asked furiously.

"I'm not exactly sure. Trust me, I'm just as angry about it as you are," Peppy said slowly, trying to keep Fox calm. "Word just got in this morning. Also, as the general, he isn't really required to give explanations to the public."

"He can't be trusted," Fox added, lowering his voice. "He's been nothing but suspicious ever since he took office. We better watch out…"

"You think it's that serious?" Peppy asked.

"Possibly; it's awfully strange to randomly revoke the squadron that has kept this galaxy safe," Fox pointed out. "Let's just keep the possibilities open for now."

After a moment of silence passed, Peppy asked Fox, "So what was the meeting with Draven like?"

"Not ideal," Fox answered. "It ended with his mansion going up in flames."

"Why?! What happened?!" Peppy inquired worriedly.

Fox explained the situation to Peppy, about Lichak's plan to destroy Corneria and the Pakat group. By the time he was finished, Peppy was surprised and disappointed.

"I never knew Draven to be like that," Peppy muttered. "Why do you think he believes the whole planet should be destroyed?"

"Well, having leaders like General Wright doesn't make us look good for one thing," Fox mentioned. "Fortunately, the Pakat should be dismantled for now at least."

"I'm sorry to hear about all that," Peppy said, stroking his bushy mustache. "Well, Krystal's wanted to see you again; she asked me where you went almost as soon as you left!"

Fox chuckled, happy to hear one good thing today. "Where is she?"

"Back at her house now, I think," Peppy replied. "By the way, could you please tell the rest of the team the bad news about Wright? I have more work to take care of here."

Fox nodded, and as he turned to leave, Peppy said over his shoulder, "Be careful!"

Fox thought of General Wright as Peppy said this. Was that what he was referring to? What exactly was Wright up to anyway? Fox waved goodbye to Peppy before running out of the Academy.

Fortunately, Fox found his car still outside of the Academy; from there, he drove to Krystal's house. It would be a good idea to get his mind off of the events that had happened, from the encounter with Lichak to General Wright's stupid decision. All those problems could wait; for now, all Fox wanted was to spend some time with his love…

It wasn't long before Fox arrived at Krystal's house, since she didn't live far away from the Academy. He noticed that the stormy clouds were still in the air from before, but there was no rain or thunder right now. Perhaps there would be a big storm soon?

Krystal greeted Fox with a joyful smile when he knocked at her door. In a flash, she threw her arms around his body and hugged affectionately. Fox returned the affection, hugging back and kissing her cheek. He decided to tell her about General Wright later as they embraced, allowing the happy moment to last.

"It's wonderful to see you again, Fox," Krystal said, keeping her bright smile. "How was your trip?"

"Let's not talk about that now," Fox replied, without sounding rude. "I was wondering if you'd like to get some dinner later together?"

"That'd be great! Where?" Krystal asked.

"Anywhere you'd like. I'll just meet you there, say, seven o'clock?" Fox suggested.

"Seven is perfect! How about that new Thai restaurant near the Academy?" Krystal recommended. "I've been wanting to try it, and I've heard that it's really good!"

"That's great! I'm sorry I can't talk more now, but I need to go tell Falco and Slippy something important; I'll see you later, though!" Fox promised, smiling as he ran back to his car.

"See you soon!" Krystal shouted, and Fox yelled goodbye back.

It was too bad that their reunion was so short-lived, but Fox was ecstatic to be able to spend time with her later. For now, Falco and Slippy needed to know about the bad news. Fox looked up at the sky again out of his car window, watching the dark clouds above. There was definitely a storm coming…

* * *

**A/N: Once again, this chapter arrived a lot later than I'd hoped for. I'm really sorry to all those that have been waiting and looking forward to it for so long; I've been trying, but simply put, life gets in the way a lot! I can't make any promises, other than that I'll be trying to get more stuff uploaded when I can. Thank you all again so much for your patience, and I hope you're enjoying it so far!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Look, if I'm going to do this for you, I need the money fast," General Wright said shakily.

"Sure," said Eric Ross, watching Wright closely. "You'll get it once the operation is finished successfully."

"Fair enough," Wright decided, putting his hands together.

General Terrence Wright was a lean, tall orange cat with crooked whiskers. He was far from attractive, but he won the votes of Corneria's citizens with his convincing magnetism. Ross, on the other hand, was a heavy bulldog and average in height. His eyes were dark brown, and his wrinkles showed his aging. As the biggest crime boss in Corneria, he had earned a name for himself, but mostly kept quiet to avoid the authorities in the past. The two sat in Wright's office at the Cornerian Army Center, which was connected to the Academy. There was also a Cornerian soldier guarding the door as their meeting went on. They had already discussed most of the plans, and were finishing their agreements.

"So the agreement was 3000 credits?" Ross made sure.

"That's right," the general replied, grinning greedily.

"Ok – tomorrow then, assuming this all goes according to plan," Ross said, a dark pitch in his voice.

"Why wouldn't it?!" Wright asked.

"Anything can happen; honest cops and soldiers still exist," Ross replied.

"All of the soldiers will be off duty tonight, on my orders," Wright explained with a confident nod. "Besides, I revoked Star Fox for a reason…"

"It's all settled then. If I can get all the drugs in safely, you'll have your money first thing tomorrow," Ross concluded in a business-like tone.

Wright smirked and nodded. "Excellent. Good luck with all this."

Eric nodded, and briskly exited the room next. The Cornerian soldier followed suit, and closed the door to Wright's office behind him. General Wright slumped back in his chair, a sense of fret disturbing his thoughts…

* * *

Fox had already told Slippy about the incident with General Wright revoking Star Fox. Fox would have just used his communicator to inform him, but it was nearly dead on battery life; he would have to charge it later. Slippy was shocked and upset to heart the news, of course, now with a new grudge against the new general. Things had really gone downhill since General Pepper had died…

Eventually Fox reached Falco's house, dreading having to tell the bad news again. Of course, Krystal also had to know too. Fox hoped he would at least be able to enjoy being with her tonight, since he hadn't spent quality time with her in a while.

Falco was a tall, blue-feathered avian with a large yellow beak. He was arrogant and narcissistic, but still had a good heart with a passion for justice. That coupled with his enjoyment of flying helped him fit in nicely with the Star Fox team. Once Falco had let Fox in, Fox immediately explained the situation.

"General Wright has revoked all activities from Star Fox; we can't do anything anymore," Fox explained bluntly. Falco's reaction was instant.

"What?! That's outrageous; why would he do such a stupid thing?!" Falco exploded, even angrier than Slippy had been.

"I don't know, but Peppy told me earlier when I got back from Planet Fichina. I already told Slippy about it; I'll have to tell Krystal later too," Fox said glumly.

"This sucks!" Falco whined, slamming a fist on the table in front of him. "Does this mean we stop getting paid too?"

"I'm not sure about that, but I would guess so," Fox replied. "The good thing is, we'll have plenty of money still left over from the Aparoid War."

"True, but it's still ridiculous!" Falco remarked. "That Wright must be a real idiot or something."

"Hopefully we can get it figured out soon," Fox put in.

"I wanna give this guy a piece of my mind!" Falco said, still furious.

"I know, I know," Fox agreed. "I just needed to inform you. I have a date with Krystal at the new Thai restaurant tonight…"

Fox apparently had managed to brighten Falco's mood when he heard that bit of news. "Oooh, Foxie's got a date! Good luck with that man!"

"Thanks," Fox said, smiling at Falco's funny attitude. Once in a while Falco could also have interesting mood swings, so it wasn't too surprising. Falco had an on-and-off girlfriend named Katt Monroe, who Fox also hadn't seen in a long time.

Once Fox finished talking to Falco, he traveled back home to get ready and wait for his date with Krystal. Despite all the craziness going on, maybe he could enjoy some quiet time with her. It was certainly the highlight of the day for both Fox and Krystal, so hopefully it would be an enjoyable time…

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Cornerian Army Center, Bill Grey was making his way back to his car to get home. He was a commander in the army, honest and loyal in his occupation. He was also a close friend to Fox, having helped out in the Lylat Wars on Planet Katina. Bill was an average-sized dog, and wore the standard Cornerian Army uniform: a green shirt and white jacket, a little similar to Fox's attire. He had enjoyed serving Pepper as Fox did, but was very skeptical of General Wright.

Bill stopped in his tracks when he overheard a couple Cornerian soldiers talking in a secluded area. Bill was the only other guard there, but they hadn't noticed him. What caught his attention was the words "drug shipment" being said. Bill hid behind a nearby wall to listen to their conversation.

"…that's right, and it's happening at 7:30 tonight," one of the guards said.

"Isn't that a little early to be doing that, though?" the other guard asked.

"Nah; Wright called off all the police and soldiers at 6:00 for tonight. Besides, the shipment is happening at Riltston Docks; no one ever goes there anymore," the first guard explained.

"Wow! It's perfect; no one will ever expect it!" the second guard replied. "Maybe this also means we'll get a raise, since Ross is supposed to pay Wright the big bucks tomorrow like you said!"

"With any luck," the first guard said with a nasty grin. "I was the only guard that knew about it, though. Wright already promised me a few credits to keep my mouth shut. I know you're not stupid enough to blab, though."

"Me? Of course not – 'specially if it means a raise!" the second guard replied.

Bill walked off in another direction, having heard everything he needed to hear; he decided to go out of the other exit to make sure the guards didn't notice him.

_Wright was being paid to allow a drug shipment?! _Bill thought to himself_. This is insane; I'll have to tell Fox about it when I get home!_

No wonder why General Wright had revoked the Star Fox team! He was trying to keep them from getting into Ross's business! Hopefully Fox would be able to do something about it…


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

'_Kunchai's'_;the name of the Thai restaurant lit up magnificently in its yellow neon color. It was dark and cloudy outside, almost seven o'clock. Fox parked his car close to the restaurant, a couple minutes early for his dinner with Krystal. She was already inside, though, he soon found out when he entered. The restaurant was packed with several different creatures – burly dogs, small monkeys, and skinny cats – all among other strange characters.

"Looks like we're both early," Fox remarked as he approached Krystal.

"Well, I'm used to eating earlier," Krystal replied. She added with a smile, "I'm pretty hungry…"

"Hopefully this food is good," Fox said, primarily to himself.

"Food is food…" Krystal replied, rubbing her empty stomach.

Fox chuckled, as Krystal continued, "But Thai food is always good for me."

A short bulldog came up to the couple, dressed in a traditional tuxedo – the waiter. His fat jowls flapped as he walked, which presented quite a comical picture.

"I'm Walter, your waiter," the bulldog said, looking at Fox and Krystal impassively. "Will you please follow me?"

Fox and Krystal followed Walter to a small table nearby. He handed them a couple menus and left to seat the next customers. As Krystal immediately looked over her menu, Fox anxiously looked over the crowded restaurant.

Glancing out the closest window, Fox noticed it had begun to rain. It wasn't a light rain, either, already pouring mercilessly on the streets. Krystal looked up from her menu to find Fox wistfully gazing out the window.

"Is everything all right, Fox?" she asked worriedly.

Before Fox could answer, his communicator began to buzz in his pocket. Luckily he had recharged it before going to the restaurant. Fox pulled the communicator out of his pocket to answer his caller.

"Hello?"

"Fox! It's Bill! We need to talk, now!" Bill said urgently.

"Hold on, Bill," Fox replied, lowering his communicator. He looked up at Krystal. "I need to talk with Bill; be right back."

Krystal looked disappointed as Fox left the table to talk outside. Fox stepped outside the restaurant underneath the awning so that the hard rain wouldn't hit him, and raised his communicator to speak with Bill again.

"What's up, Bill?" Fox asked.

"Fox! This is really bad! General Wright made a deal with crime boss Eric Ross!" Bill started.

"A deal? What kind of deal?" Fox kept his cool.

"Well, they arranged a drug shipment at 7:30, at the Riltston Docks," Bill explained.

"How?!" Fox demanded, angered at this news.

"Ross is paying Wright off," Bill replied. "He called off all the guards at 6:00 so it could happen. I overheard all about it as I was leaving the Cornerian Army Center from a crooked soldier. We can't let them get away with this!"

"I know…" Fox replied, regaining his composure. After a moment, he decided, "I'll go to the docks to take care of it."

"I can come with you," Bill suggested, to which Fox quickly replied, "No; I'd rather go it alone for now. You call the cops and get them down to the docks. Tell them what you heard…"

"But, they won't believe that Wright allowed it; there's no sufficient proof," Bill put in.

"Then we can worry about it later," Fox said. "Just tell them that you're an army commander and that you heard this is happening. Hopefully I can slow down Ross and his men in the meantime."

"Ok, Fox; good luck!" Bill said.

"Bye, Bill," Fox said before turning his communicator off and returning it to his pocket.

Fox ran back inside the restaurant speedily to return to Krystal; it was past 7:00 now! He felt terribly guilty about leaving her like this, but it was obviously for the greater good. Hopefully he would at least be able to prevent the drug shipment from happening. Krystal was already concerned before he could explain what Bill told him.

"Fox, what's going on?" she asked nervously.

"Krystal, I'm terribly sorry about this, but I need to leave right now," Fox began, a sad look in his eyes.

Her eyes mirrored his sadness, crestfallen, and she asked softly, "Why…?"

"This crime boss Ross is orchestrating a drug shipment down at Riltston Docks; I have to go stop it," Fox explained quickly.

"Why can't I come with you? How did Bill know?" Krystal wondered.

"It's too dangerous, Krystal, and I don't want you to get hurt," Fox replied with a frown. "I'll explain the rest later – right now, I can't let this happen. The police should hopefully follow suit soon. I know this is a lot to take in so soon; I'm really sorry…"

Krystal grabbed Fox's hand, trying to give a reassuring smile. "It's ok; do what you have to do, Fox. Just please be careful…"

Fox nodded, trying to smile back. "I'll see you later; I promise I'll make it up to you."

As Krystal murmured a soft, "Bye", Fox ran past the other creatures and out of the restaurant. Hungry and agitated, Fox was determined to stop Ross at all costs, with or without the police's help. As Fox drove off in his car to the docks, lightning flashed through the sky, and a loud thunder crack boomed in the air, all while the rain continued to pour on recklessly.

* * *

**A/N: I know this took me forever to upload; life and stuff always getting in the way. Now that I'm free for most of the summer, hopefully I will be able to update this story and make new ones more often. I really appreciate all your patience and support; God bless and sorry about the wait.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The thunder and lightning raged on as Fox drove his car to the Riltston Docks. He had a lot on his mind at the moment, primarily stopping Ross and his men, but also how General Wright could be proven guilty. It was truly a sticky situation at the moment.

7:30 drew nearer, and Fox's heart beat faster. He knew Ross's reputation as one of the most dangerous crime bosses in Lylat, so he wouldn't go down without a fight. It wouldn't be easy being up against him and all of his thugs, after all.

Eventually, Fox found the docks; he saw a large ship in the water with crates piled atop it, and a warehouse situated near it. Fox also noticed a few cars parked by the warehouse, which must have belonged to Ross and his men. Fox parked his car away from sight, and began making his way to the building after getting out.

* * *

Inside, Ross was watching over the operation, his men bringing in crates of the drugs from the ship. Each box was checked to ensure they weren't empty. Stealthily, Fox had crept inside the warehouse, which had a large opening for an entrance. Fortunately none of the guards with their machine guns had noticed him.

The warehouse was filled with other boxes, smaller than the crates Ross was smuggling in. Fox climbed behind a stack of the boxes to make sure he wasn't seen, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. It was a little before 7:30, but apparently Ross had decided to start early.

"When are we getting paid?" Fox heard a guard ask.

"In good time," Ross replied gruffly. "Get back to work."

Fox thought of how to make his first move; he didn't want anyone killed, but especially not Ross. He needed to be taken in and questioned. Fox decided a noticeable distraction was best…

Taking a smart bomb out of his belt, Fox scanned the room for a good place to throw it. Again, he didn't want anyone to die, but he needed to paralyze the guards before the police came. The last time he threw a smart bomb, it decimated a mansion, but since the warehouse was much taller (as one room) and wider, it shouldn't do as much damage.

Fox picked his target – another stack of boxes on the other side of the room. He threw the bomb with all his might, and it made a nasty collision with the boxes; flames and sparks flew everywhere in an instant, exploding all the boxes in the stack – some of which hit nearby guards. Immediately Ross and the other guards spun around, panicked.

"We've been compromised! Seek out the intruder!" Ross yelled at his men.

The guards started splitting up and searching around the warehouse for Fox. He saw one guard coming near him - a tall, ugly cat. Before the cat could see Fox behind the boxes, Fox elbowed the enemy in the face to knock him out cold. However, one guard noticed this, and began firing rapidly with his machine gun at Fox.

Fox ran around the stack of boxes to avoid being shot. He pulled out his own blaster, and when the guard came into view, shot his arm; the guard yelped in pain, dropping his machine gun. The next thing Fox knew, two more guards were rushing at him on his other side.

Quickly, Fox used all his leg strength to kick over the large stack of boxes. By the time the guards arrived, they tripped over the fallen boxes, smashing their heads into the cement ground when they fell. Fox rapidly ran over behind another pile of boxes before he was found.

There were four more guards remaining, and Ross. Ross began to make his way out of the building, scared of whatever threat was overcoming him. Fox knew he couldn't let him get away, but had to first deal with the guards.

Fortunately, there was a large, loose piece of metal ceiling above three of the guards, hanging off the rest of the roof. Fox shot his blaster rapidly at the loose part of the roof, eventually causing it to fall off entirely; as planned, it collapsed on the three guards, trapping them inside and likely breaking a few of their bones.

As this distracted the remaining guard, Fox took advantage and ran over to him, slamming him into the wall. Before the guard could recuperate, Fox knocked him out with hard punch to the face. Fox ran out of the warehouse to catch up to Ross before he could make his escape.

To his left, he found Ross running as fast as he could – which wasn't very fast, considering his heavy stature. With his unrivaled agility, Fox soon caught up to the crime boss, grabbing him from behind and throwing him harshly to the ground. Ross's legs were hurt after falling down so awkwardly; he turned on his back to find his attacker standing before him.

"Fox?! Fox McCloud! You're not supposed to be doing heroics anymore!" Ross sputtered.

"You think I would just let you get away with brining in all these drugs?" Fox retorted.

Ross made a nasty cough, and then replied, "Wright revoked you and your meddlesome team… When I tell the police, they'll bring you in too."

"I already know all about your plan with Wright," Fox countered. "He's just a corrupt coward. There might not be enough evidence now, but when there is, only Wright will be joining you behind bars."

Ross spat, snarling angrily. His ugly, bulldog face was quite intimidating, but Fox had seen much uglier creatures before. Suddenly, police sirens became audible, and Fox turned around to see the blue and red lights. Ross looked surprised, and gave Fox another spiteful look.

"How did the police know?! In fact, how in the world did you know I'd be here?!" he demanded angrily.

"I have my contacts," Fox replied with a smirk. "See you around."

Before the police cars pulled up to the warehouse, Fox took off, knowing that by Wright's orders, what he had done was illegal. Even if Wright was a criminal, Fox couldn't prove it yet, so the police wouldn't side with him. At least the drug shipment had been foiled; the police would inspect the drugs later, after arresting Ross and his men, of course.

Once Fox was back in his car and driving away, he couldn't help but worry, though. He knew Ross wasn't bluffing, that he would tell the police that he had stopped them, so the police would be after him too! Perhaps it would be best if he didn't go home tonight…

Deciding it was for the best to stay away from his house, Fox called Falco with his communicator. Almost immediately his friend picked up.

"Yo, Fox?" Falco gave his typical greeting.

"Falco, I need to stay at your house tonight," Fox replied, trying not to sound rude.

"Ok…? Is everything alright?" Falco asked.

"I'll tell you everything later," Fox answered, hanging up his communicator.

It was a good thing Falco was cool with this. Fox didn't think of being chased by the police before stopping the drug shipment, but now he realized it was a true danger. Hoping for the best, he drove to Falco's house, and away from the siren's noise.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Even though the trip to Falco's house wasn't too long, it felt like it with all the commotion going on. Obviously Fox was glad that the police didn't notice him, but it was only a matter of time before Ross ratted him out and the police came searching for him. On the bright side, Fox completed his mission.

Once he arrived at Falco's house, he quickly jumped out of his car and rapidly knocked at the door. Falco answered it with an annoyed 'Geez', letting Fox in. Fox plopped himself down on the nearest chair in Falco's living room while Falco locked the door.

Falco's house was quite chaotic, papers on the floor and his furniture cluttered with random objects. There were two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen – nothing fancy. Falco turned around to find Fox on the chair, and walked toward him.

"You got here quicker than I thought you would," Falco commented, proceeding to take a seat on the couch across from Fox.

"I had to – head start from the police," Fox replied, staring at a picture of Falco with Katt resting on a table beside him.

"The police?!" Falco asked, panicky.

"Yah; Bill told me about this drug shipment that had been arranged by Wright and the crime boss Eric Ross," Fox began, "So I had to go to the Riltston Docks to stop it. I had Bill get the police so that they could take in Ross and his men; I had to stall them though before they could finish their operation. Ross told me he'd tell the police I was responsible for stopping them, so now thanks to Wright's orders of revoking Star Fox, the police will be after me."

Falco thought over all this for a moment, trying to take it all in. He eventually asked, "But you said Wright arranged it; he's the real villain here! The police should bring him in!"

"I know that, but the police don't," Fox replied. "There's no proof that Wright is responsible for now…"

"What a pain," Falco murmured, then spoke up, "Do you think Ross will talk to the police about it?"

"If he and Wright are close, the only person he'll talk about is me," Fox said. "Ross was supposed to pay Wright, though, in exchange for letting the drug shipment pass. But since I foiled it, maybe he'll turn in Wright? Then again, they might think Ross is lying about him."

"Why wouldn't they think he was lying about you?" Falco asked.

"Because Wright has already turned the authorities against me by revoking Star Fox. Not to mention, any of the corrupt cops want nothing more than to dismantle the heroics," Fox answered. "I guess Wright sees us as vigilantes, that hypocritical pest; it won't stop me from fighting criminals…"

"Hmm… seems like a frustrating situation," Falco exclaimed. "So you came here before the cops could search your house?"

"That's right – I figured that's the first place they would look," Fox added. "I guess the next step is to find some way to show the police that Wright is a criminal. If we're lucky, they'll believe Ross if he tells them that Wright was responsible too."

Before Falco could reply, Fox's communicator vibrated in his pocket. He took it out to see it was Bill calling him. Immediately he answered it.

"Bill? What's going on?" Fox asked nervously.

"Ross and his men are in custody," Bill started. "Unfortunately, as you might have guessed, the police are coming for your home…"

"I know – I'm at Falco's house right now. So that means Ross already told them?" Fox made sure.

"Yup," Bill replied.

_Geez, that was fast... _Fox thought to himself.

"They believed him right away, since you're known for playing hero," Bill continued. "I tried to stop them, of course, but they wouldn't listen, insisting Wright's orders came first. We need to find a way to show them that Wright's the bad guy."

"I know, that's what I told Falco," Fox replied. "Do you think Ross will tell the cops that Wright helped arrange the drug shipment?"

"Probably not," Bill answered, "He seems bent on turning you in only…"

Fox thought for a moment, about what their next move should be. Then, an idea sprang to mind.

"Bill? Would you be able to question Ross while he's in jail?" Fox asked.

"I do have that ability, why?" Bill asked back.

"Because we might learn something valuable," Fox replied. "Just play it casual and start with questions about the drugs and stuff. Maybe you could find something out about Wright?"

"I'll try my best, Fox. Take it easy, ok? Don't get into any more trouble – at least not without telling me first," Bill finished with a chuckle.

"Gotcha – night, Bill," Fox said, hanging up his communicator.

He turned back to face Falco.

"Just as I thought; the police are going to my house now," Fox announced.

"Pffft, if those cops think they're a match for Star Fox, they're dead wrong," Falco said with a wave of his hand.

"I don't want to get into any conflict that can be avoided, Falco," Fox added. "It's best the police don't find me at all. Bill and I will try to find out more about Wright so that he can be arrested and hopefully I'll be free…"

The two sat in silence for a moment, thinking over their conversation. Fox broke the silence to look at Falco with pleading eyes, and ask, "Do you have any food?"

"Yah… what do you want?" Falco asked, a bit bemused.

"Anything, man… I haven't eaten in forever," Fox replied, chuckling to himself.

"I've got some frozen pizza?" Falco suggested.

"That'll be just fine," Fox said, rubbing his stomach. "I hate to be a rude guest, but I'm starved."

"Don't sweat it – I'll stick it in the oven for ya," Falco replied, heading into the kitchen.

Even though he could be a jerk sometimes, Falco still cared for his friends deeply. Fox was certainly glad for this; otherwise he'd be out of a place to sleep! Once the pizza was ready, Fox devoured it quickly, making sure no crumbs were left on his plate.

After the meal, Fox thanked Falco again and eventually went to sleep in the guest bedroom. It wasn't that late, but it was dark, and Fox was worn out from his escapade. He needed rest. However, he couldn't stop thinking of everything that had been going on, and he felt deeply troubled as he drifted to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Bill eventually reached the interrogation room to find Ross, once the police had sorted everything else out. It was extremely early in the morning, around 2 A.M. He was doing this for Fox, but was also curious himself about Wright and the drugs. The police let him into the interrogation room with Ross, so he could take a seat across from him at a small, metallic table. The officers watched from outside the room.

Ross looked worn out, and annoyed. He obviously didn't want to talk to Bill, let alone any of the authorities. Deciding to take Fox's advice, Bill started with the drugs.

"So what was in the drugs…? Who sent them here?" Bill asked softly.

Ross shook his head, sighing heavily before answering. "Those drugs… aren't normal…"

"What do you mean?" Bill asked.

"They contain lethal poison…" Ross continued. "If simply mixed with water, they will release toxin in massive heaps…"

Bill thought this over for a moment, thinking it had to be a lie. How was that even possible? Was Ross plotting to kill several people? For now, Bill decided to play along.

"Really… where did you get them from?" Bill asked.

"Planet Fichina… my merchant is coming here very soon…" Ross replied, giving a small smile.

"Fichina?! Who is this merchant of yours?!" Bill demanded.

"His name is Draven Lichak. He sent the drugs over here so that we could prepare them for his arrival. I'll be richly rewarded, of course. If you think the police can hold me here, you're sadly mistaken – Lichak will free me and all his other men. Just wait until his plan goes into effect… everything, as you know it, will be destroyed…"

Bill looked hard at Ross, trying to see if he was bluffing. The story seemed somewhat realistic, though, and Ross was entirely confident. Bill looked out at the police officers beyond the glass.

"Does anyone know Draven Lichak?"

The officers all just looked at each other, seemingly not knowing. Then, Peppy came from behind the officers to face Bill through the glass.

"I do. I can tell you," the old hare said with a wise smile.

Bill left Ross in the interrogation room to address Peppy.

"Peppy? How'd you get here?" he asked with a grin.

"I had to be in the center of the action," Peppy replied with a soft chuckle. "Anyways, about Lichak…"

"He used to be James McCloud's friend," Peppy began to explain. "Fox met with him on Fichina recently, where he told him he wanted to destroy all of Corneria to permanently rid its crime. Lichak leads the Pakat, his fanatical group that follows his every plan. Of course, the idea is maniacal, and we can't have him killing all these innocent citizens. Fox blew up his mansion to try to slow them down, but it seems they're still going strong… Fox told me about this after his trip there. We need to be ready for their arrival at any time."

A police officer behind them spoke up, "So, this is all really happening? What should we do then?"

"Make sure that the police and army forces are ready; I'm sure Lichak will be bringing backup," Peppy suggested. "This is a real threat, everyone."

"Why should we trust Fox? Didn't General Wright want him turned in for interfering with the drug shipment?" another one of the guards put in.

"Wright's a corrupt fool," Bill boldly replied, unafraid of backlash.

Before any of the officers could counter that, Ross spoke up from the interrogation room, "He's right. He called off all the guards last night early so that I could bring the drugs in – I was going to pay him if it went well. Obviously that did me no good when Fox showed up to spoil things; I don't care about Wright. Neither does Lichak…"

"I can't believe it…" one of the officers exclaimed. "Wright needs to be put behind bars too, then..."

Bill was surprised that Ross turned Wright in. He didn't seem to care that much, though, intent that Lichak would free him. Still, this helped take the pressure off of Fox.

"Charges will be taken off Fox then, right?" Bill asked the officer.

"Seems only fitting," the officer replied. "And now that we don't have a true general, I think we can all agree that Fox isn't guilty – especially since he helped put this criminal behind bars." He finished gesturing toward Ross.

Bill and Peppy smiled, glad Fox was free from the police. He had enough problems to deal with, anyway…

* * *

Later that day, near noon, Fox got a call from Bill about everything that had happened. Fox was still at Falco's house, of course; Falco had slept in very late, still snoring away in his bedroom. Fox had just eaten an early lunch – an apple and some chips he found in Falco's kitchen.

"Fox! Good news; the police aren't after you anymore! Ross told them about Wright, and they believed him," Bill announced over the communicator.

"That's awesome – one less thing I have to worry about!" Fox replied, grinning to himself.

"Yah…" Bill trailed off. "There's bad news too…"

"What is it?" Fox asked.

"I'm sure you remember Draven Lichak? Well, apparently, he sent the drugs here from Fichina, and if triggered with water, they release deadly toxins! Lichak is supposed to be coming to Corneria soon; Ross explained everything!" Bill informed him.

Fox was surprised, to say the least, that Lichak was behind it all. This was his master plan for killing everyone in Corneria?! Draven and the Pakat had recovered awfully quickly since their last encounter, apparently…

"That's not good," Fox replied. "We need to have the police dispose of all the drugs before Lichak and his men get here."

"There's too much going on right now," Bill responded. "The police are going to arrest Wright very soon. They're also preparing themselves for Lichak's arrival."

"Wait… how'd you know I met with Lichak anyway?" Fox wondered.

"Peppy – he was at the station while I interrogated Ross," Bill answered. "He told me everything too. So now all we have to worry about is Lichak…"

"Don't underestimate him, Bill. He's very dangerous and dedicated," Fox warned.

"Ok; look, I gotta go now, Fox. Talk to you later," Bill abruptly ended, hanging up his communicator.

Fox hung up his communicator too, a bit unnerved about Bill's sudden exit. Suddenly, Fox remembered –

_I have to go see Krystal again… _

He still felt bad about leaving her at the restaurant like that. He would need to go make things up to her. Fox ran to Falco's bedroom and woke him up, much to Falco's dismay.

"What is it?" Falco asked crankily.

"The police know Wright helped Ross, and my name is cleared; I need to go see Krystal now about yesterday. Thanks for everything," Fox quickly said, running out of the room.

"Whatever…" Falco replied to himself, returning to la-la land.

Fox sped out of the house and to his car.

_Hopefully the police didn't ransack my house…_ Fox hoped.

Choosing to ignore that possibility for now, Fox drove off for Krystal's house, wanting nothing more than to be with her again…


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Fox couldn't stop feeling bad about yesterday, hoping that Krystal would understand. At least Wright would be arrested, and Ross already was – all that remained was Lichak, and his plan to destroy Corneria. There might not be enough time for the police to dispose of all the drugs before he arrived…

Once Fox reached Krystal's house, he found her sitting on her patio. She looked up to find his car, and smiled when she saw him. Fox parked the car beside her house, and ran out to greet her.

"Krystal! I'm so sorry about what happened yesterday," Fox began.

"It's ok – I know it was important," Krystal replied. "Bill already gave me a call to tell me about everything. The drug shipment, Wright, and everything else. Even Draven Lichak…"

"Bill told you? You know who Lichak is?" Fox confirmed.

"Yes – how come you never told me?" Krystal asked him.

"I just didn't want you to worry about anything else," Fox explained. "The last thing you needed to hear about was another dangerous criminal. But now, I suppose, you needed to know. We need to be ready for when he comes…"

"He won't stand a chance against Falco, Slippy, you and I," Krystal remarked with a smile.

"Don't underestimate him," Fox warned. "He'll stop at nothing to accomplish his goal. If he wants everyone in Corneria dead, he will try his best to make it happen. And it will be difficult for us to stop him."

"We've never lost to any other threat before, though," Krystal mentioned.

"I know… but he's different," Fox replied, looking up at the sky. "He's not the evil, chaotic threat we're used to dealing with. He's calculated, smart, and… sane."

"It's not rational to blow up the entire city just to start over," Krystal replied.

"I don't mean sane like that – I mean he doesn't act or sound crazy like any of our previous foes," Fox responded.

A moment of silence passed. Fox took a sigh, and continued, "I just came here to say I'm sorry I had to leave yesterday – maybe we can make it up sometime. But first, we need to deal with Lichak. Be prepared for when he arrives – I'll contact you if I get word. For now, I need to get home and take care of some things."

Fox got up to leave, needing to return home to think things over (and make sure his house hadn't been ransacked by the police). It would also be a smart idea to contact Falco and Slippy to make sure they were ready, too. As Fox got into his car and left for home, Krystal murmured, "Be careful, Fox," to herself.

* * *

When Fox got back to his house, he found a black car parked on his driveway. He didn't recognize it from anywhere before. Angry and slightly nervous, Fox quickly stopped his car and jumped out to go into his house and find whoever parked there.

The door had been kicked down, but nothing on the inside of the house was ruined – odd. Before Fox could think of anything else, he was hit hard on the back of his head, just short of sending him unconscious. He fell to the ground, and turned on his side to look up at a burly bulldog, dressed in a black suit. Suddenly two other familiar faces appeared as well – Bonzo and Lichak, also wearing black suits.

"A shame you decided not to join us," Draven began, shooting a look of disdain at Fox.

Fox turned on his back, returning a scornful look at Lichak. "How did you find out this was my house?"

"We have our methods," Draven replied, giving a small smile.

Fox decided to ignore this for now, more concerned with the fact they had already arrived.

"You're not going to destroy this city," Fox spouted confidently, despite his defenseless position.

"That won't be your choice," Lichak shook off. "My men are already in the process of making it happen. They've taken over the police station to free my other men and reclaim the drugs. I will take them to the Cornerian Army Center, since it is at the center of the city. Once I target all the city's locations with the help of the laboratory's computers, the toxins from the water will be able to scatter everywhere."

"How do you know about all the Army Center's machinery?" Fox wondered aloud.

"I used to go there a long time ago, remember?" Lichak reminded him. "I know everything about it. With the Army Center's cannons we can fire off the toxins across the whole city once the computers have targeted everywhere. Finally, I will blow up the Army Center with one of the bombs inside. I've brought plenty of Pakat enforcements so that no one will get in the way of what needs to happen."

"This doesn't need to happen," Fox replied, glaring hard at Lichak. "The main source of corruption, General Wright, is gone. There's no need for killing all these innocent people…"

"It's too late for that now," Draven brushed off, obviously determined. "A new age for Corneria must begin, and _that_ begins with eradicating all the corrupted minds. Innocents must be sacrificed for the greater good."

Fox finally got to his feet, recovering from the hard blow to his head. Draven made a gesture at Bonzo and the burly bulldog, and they nodded in response. They proceeded to light matches and toss them to the ground, beginning to catch the house on fire. Fox decided not to make a move for now.

"This city has seen the last day of crime and corruption for a long time to come – it is my responsibility to return it to how it's supposed to be lived in," Draven stated, as the flames continued to engulf more of Fox's house.

Suddenly, a look of remorse entered Draven's eyes as he looked sorrowfully at Fox. "You could have helped me and lived through all of this… like your father, you lack the audacity to do everything necessary to rid the evil once and for all."

Lichak had hit a nerve, to insult Fox's father that way. Fox jumped at Lichak angrily, but was held back by another punch from the burly bulldog. Bonzo followed with a kick to send Fox back to the floor, hurting again.

"I hope you're proud of your foolish decision to reject justice," Lichak scoffed, making another motion at Bonzo and the bulldog.

They grabbed Fox's arms, and began dragging him to a large closet nearby.

"I will stop you," Fox said resolutely at Lichak as he was dragged off. "And this city will be saved with true justice, not genocide."

Lichak nodded satirically, giving Fox a final look. "Goodbye, Fox. Perhaps we'll meet again in another life."

While Bonzo opened the closet door, the bulldog threw Fox into the closet, where he hit his head hard against the wall. As he fell into unconsciousness, Fox watched the fire overwhelm his house before Bonzo shut and locked the closet door; then darkness…

* * *

**A/N: Sorry about the wait again - I didn't plan on taking this long on this chapter, but I was busy with other things! The story is coming close to finish - hope you guys liked the chapter, and thanks again to all who followed it. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

No one in the Cornerian Army Center was expecting the incoming ambush; it seemed Lichak always had the element of surprise on his side. Unfortunately, that would also make it difficult for anyone to be able to stop him. Once he made his way to the Army Center, he had his men take over every area, holding the Cornerian soldiers at gunpoint. Luckily for Draven, he also had a few corrupt soldiers help enforce that no one got in his way.

There was mass panic, but none of the citizens on the outside knew what was happening yet. Lichak's guards would bring in the drugs from the police station very soon and water, having already taken over the police station as well. After making sure every area was under his control, Draven made his way to the research facility, where he found Beltino Toad at his computer. All the other workers at their computers froze once they saw the armed guards. When Beltino spun around to find Draven and his guards, he decided it was for the best that he did not make any sudden moves.

"I see you run this research facility," Draven deduced, seeing as Beltino was seated at the largest computer.

"I am," Beltino replied, not sure of anything else to say.

"Connect the computers' signals with the main cannons, please," Draven continued demandingly.

"What if I don't?" Beltino retorted.

In response, behind Lichak, Bonzo shot a nearby worker with his blaster. The young cat that had been the researcher collapsed dead to the floor.

"You end up like him… do it…" Draven enforced, making sure he didn't tell Beltino his plan to destroy the city. Otherwise, Beltino would know that he'd die either way.

Deciding to keep his life for now, Beltino reluctantly started typing away on his computer's keyboard to connect all the signals with the army center's cannons. He knew whatever was coming couldn't be good, but he didn't really have a choice. Connecting the signals across the army center wasn't too difficult, so the guards would have figured it out sooner or later anyway. Once he was finished, Beltino turned around to face Lichak again.

"What now?"

The burly bulldog of the Pakat grabbed Beltino by the shirt and tossed him out of his chair like a ragdoll.

"Now we're going to disperse our deadly toxins across the city," Draven replied. "Once my other men load the cannons up with the drugs and mix them with water, the effect will be unstoppable. Our gas masks will keep the Pakat and myself alive. Meanwhile, we'll also bomb this army center to complete Corneria's destruction."

On cue, a couple Pakat members burst into the room with a black bomb, only about the size of a lamp. Despite its small appearance, though, it was in fact deadly and had the range to blow up a very large building – a bomb the Army Center had recently designed. Since the research facility was in the middle of the Army Center, it would easily destroy everything inside and around the building. When Draven gave a signal, the guards hit a switch on the bomb's side, activating a timer.

"In less than an hour, this building will be destroyed. The toxins will be scattered around the same time. Nothing will be able to stop this imminent destruction, and it will be for the best," Lichak declared, taking a seat at Beltino's chair.

Beltino felt helpless, knowing the Army Center was completely controlled by the Pakat now. There was no way he could leave to inform the Star Fox members or even call them with all these Pakat guards able to hear. With only one option, he silently sent an SOS signal through his communicator to all of the Star Fox members, Peppy, and Bill Grey. Hopefully they would be able to figure something out…

* * *

Meanwhile, Fox's house was about to be completely consumed by the fire. It was a miracle he was still alive at this point. Lucky for him, he would not burn in his house at all.

The loud noise of the closet door being kicked down awoke Fox from his unconsciousness. When he opened his eyes, he found Peppy, who must have broken the door down. As Peppy extended his hand, Fox got the idea immediately, giving Peppy his right hand. Peppy helped pull Fox up from the ground, and they began to make their way out of the house.

There was barely any open room to maneuver through, the fire already having blocked off most areas. Parts of the ceiling were falling off at this point, caving in much of the house. Almost no objects were intact anymore, having been burned by now. Peppy helped guide Fox out of the fire's way, since his vision was still blurry.

As they made their way to the entrance, Fox snatched a picture of his parents from a small table close to the front door. He wasn't able to let that go, at least, even if the rest of his house was gone. Peppy and Fox finally got out the front door, just as another mound of flames closed off their path. They had just barely escaped in time.

Fox and Peppy coughed hard from the smoke, trying to breathe some fresh air as well. Fox was on the ground looking at his picture of James and Vixy McCloud. It was slightly damaged, but fortunately mostly unharmed. As he regained his breath, he looked up at Peppy, who was also panting from the escapade.

"Peppy… thanks…" Fox managed to say, half-smiling. After taking another breath, he continued, "How did you know I was there?"

"Well, I was actually coming to your house to catch up on some things, but it seems I was just in time to save you from that fire," Peppy replied. "Do you know about Lichak and the Pakat?"

"Yes – Bill told me everything. And you might've guessed that Lichak set my house on fire," Fox answered. "He told me his whole plan…"

Before Fox could continue, Peppy mentioned, "Beltino just sent me an SOS signal as I arrived here."

"That's because Lichak has taken over the Army Center with the help of his Pakat members," Fox explained. "He's going to scatter the drugs' toxins all over the city with the computers and cannons. He's also planning to bomb the Army Center, and I don't know how much time we have."

"Well, we'd better get going then! I'll tell Krystal, Slippy, Falco, and Bill to meet us at the Army Center so we can stop him together," Peppy decided.

"Good idea – I would say we can take my car, but I think my keys got burned in there too," Fox stated, chuckling to himself.

"It's fine – hop into mine," Peppy replied, running over to his car.

Fox followed suit, and as he approached the passenger's side, he took one last glance at his house, then back at the picture of his parents. The last picture he had of James and Vixy. That was really the only thing he could have lost in the fire, and never had recovered from…

With a mission ahead of him, Fox climbed into the passenger seat of Peppy's car. Peppy called in Krystal, Slippy, Falco, and Bill as he drove to the Army Center. With less than an hour remaining, the stakes had never been higher, and Fox was determined to save his city.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Fortunately Krystal, Falco, Slippy, and Bill all arrived at the Army Center shortly after Peppy and Fox did. Time was running very short though, as it took a while to reach the place from Fox's house. They got out of their cars to discuss things.

"Fox! Are you all right?!" Krystal ran over to Fox once they saw each other. "Peppy told me about the fire!"

"Yah, I'm ok," Fox replied, to which Krystal gave him a tight hug and a relieved smile.

Fox turned to all the rest once Krystal was done. "All the Cornerian troops and Beltino are hostages in there…"

"Dad…" Slippy murmured, hoping his father was all right.

"Lichak is going to spread the deadly toxins across the entire city using the computers and cannons unless we stop him," Fox continued. "Also, he's planning to bomb the Army Center. We need to act quickly, because we don't know how much time we have left."

"So we need to free the Cornerian soldiers to help us overtake the Pakat guards," Peppy stated.

"Those Pakat scum won't be a match for us," Falco commented, ready for action.

"I won't let them hurt Dad!" Slippy cried.

"We will be victorious…" Krystal said softly, brushing against Fox.

"Yes; everyone have weapons?" Peppy made sure.

Everyone confirmed 'yes' or nodded, revealing blasters and machine guns. Fox nodded, looking everyone over one more time.

"The fate of this city rests on us – let's go!" he declared, leading them into the building.

Immediately they found several Pakat guards, holding the Cornerian troops at gunpoint. Before the Pakat guards could react, Fox commanded to his team "Fire!"

That's when Peppy, Krystal, Slippy, Falco, Bill, and Fox all fired at once, taking the Pakat guards by surprise. Instantly many of the Pakat guards were down, thanks to the force of the Star Fox members and Bill. When the Pakat began to return fire, the team and Bill took cover. However, by then, the Cornerian soldiers had taken the dead Pakat members' weapons and fired at the remaining Pakat soldiers.

Obviously the Pakat guards were no match for the Star Fox team, Bill, and all the Cornerian soldiers. All the laser fire overpowered the Pakat guards in no time, clearing the main section of the Army Center. Once the Pakat were dismantled, Fox gathered everyone together.

"Bill, I want you to take half these soldiers and dismantle the main cannons somehow," Fox started. "Krystal and Falco, take the rest of the soldiers with you to rescue the rest of the troops and take out the remaining Pakat soldiers. Slippy and Peppy, come with me to free the researchers and take care of Lichak."

Everyone nodded, and Fox declared, "Let's move out!"

The three groups then broke off to take care of their missions. Lichak wouldn't expect Fox to have come back, let alone stop his operation. On the way to the research facility, Fox, Peppy, and Slippy had to take care of some stray Pakat guards – rather than using their guns, they just took them out with hand-to-hand combat. Few creatures in Lylat were trained as well in martial arts as the Star Fox team.

Surprisingly, Peppy took down most of them – despite his age, he was still as fiery and determined as ever. While Fox and Slippy might have knocked out 5 or 6, Peppy continued to punch and kick away. Eventually, Peppy finished, knocking a final guard headfirst into the wall.

"Still got the moves, huh Peppy?" Slippy joked once the guards were taken care of.

"I might be old, but I can still fight," Peppy replied, chuckling to himself.

It took a few more minutes to reach the research facility, each second feeling longer and longer. They didn't know how much time they had, so being too late was constantly on their minds. Hopefully by now, Bill and the guards had tackled the cannons with the drugs.

Eventually they reached the research facility, with several Pakat guards inside. Peppy and Fox opened fire on the guards, while Slippy rushed over to Beltino nearby. With the open opportunity, the researchers tackled the remaining Pakat guards, including Bonzo, to the ground. Lichak had spun around in his chair by this point, stunned by all the commotion.

"What are you doing?!" he yelled angrily, seeing all his Pakat guards being dismantled.

"Saving this city – not destroying it," Fox replied hastily, knocking out one of the Pakat guards with his elbow.

"You're too late," Lichak replied. "The bomb will be going off in six minutes, destroying this Army Center and everyone in it. And now that you've blown your cover, I'll release the toxins now."

"No!" Slippy cried, while the rest remained silent.

Fox and Peppy held their breath, hoping that Bill and the guards had already done something about the cannons. Otherwise, the city was about to be annihilated. It was their last chance…

Lichak spun around to the computer to press the button to release the toxins. Fox's heart beat fast, as Draven clicked the button without hesitation. However, a message appeared before him on the computer:

_ Action cannot be performed; cannons are not operating._

Fox breathed a heavy sigh of relief – Bill had done it! Probably just in time, too. Peppy and Slippy smiled to themselves, now more confident than before.

Meanwhile, Lichak was absolutely furious - repeatedly tapping the button, but to no avail. Enraged, he jumped out of his chair, giving Fox an angry stare after slowly turning around.

"You'll still be responsible for all the deaths in this building…" Lichak declared, keeping calm despite the setback.

"I don't think so," Fox replied, returning a hard look at Draven. "Peppy and Slippy, contact the others – get them to escort everyone out of here, immediately. Don't let anyone die – get the Cornerian soldiers to take the Pakat troops that are still alive with you too. I'll take care of Lichak."

The researchers, outnumbering the Pakat guards, took them out of the room, followed by Slippy, Beltino, and Peppy. This left just Fox and Lichak, the bomb having reached 5 minutes by now.

"You've ruined everything," Draven began, still keeping his voice calm. No matter what happened, it seemed he never overreacted.

"I did what needed to be done," Fox replied, stepping closer to his father's friend. "Bill Grey and the other Cornerian soldiers kept the cannons from going off. Your men that are still alive will be arrested. You will be arrested too, if you choose to come with me quietly."

Lichak smirked, and then gave a small yet deep laugh. "You don't really think I'll just come with you now? And I can't exactly let you go either…"

Without warning, Draven sprang forward, knocking Fox into the wall with a hard kick. Before Draven could land another punch, Fox moved out of the way, sending a kick of his own into Draven's side.

However, Draven recuperated quickly, sending several punches at Fox at once. Fox managed to block most of them, but a couple hit his sides. Fox managed to grab onto one of Lichak's arms as he was punching at him, and swung him into a nearby small computer. The result was instant; the screen of the computer knocked out of place and sparks flew around Lichak's injured back.

Even though he was preoccupied with the fight, Fox couldn't help but worry that the others wouldn't make it out in time. Lichak was obviously hurt badly, but continued to fight his best nonetheless. He managed to hit Fox in the face with another hard punch, knocking Fox backward.

Fox recovered the same time as Draven, getting himself away from the broken computer. He sent a kick at Fox, which narrowly missed as Fox jumped out of the way. The bomb continued to tick; there probably wouldn't be enough time for either of them to escape at this rate…

Fox took advantage of the missed attack and elbowed Lichak in the stomach, followed by a punch to his jaw. Lichak began to stumble backward, loosing his footing from the hard blow; he knocked over the broken computer behind him. Unfortunately for him, he fell in such an awkward position that when the computer fell, it caught a hold of right leg.

After realizing what had happened, Lichak tugged hard, but could not get his leg out of the computer. The broken screen size was just enough to fit his leg, but he was not able to get out. The wiring was firmly in place still as well, keeping Draven stuck to the ground. No matter how hard he kicked, it was of no use – he was stuck…

Fox realized the battle was over at that point; he turned to leave, knowing there was little time left before the bomb went off. Before Fox could leave through the door, Lichak desperately called, "Wait!"

Fox turned around to face Lichak a final time.

"How… did you get out of your house…?" he asked, panting heavily.

"Peppy rescued me," Fox replied. "He was also a friend of James…"

Draven looked Fox over one more time as well, knowing he was trapped and his death was certain. It was awfully frustrating to be stuck in a small computer, but that's the way it was. Knowing that time was short, Fox left Draven there, regardless of any remorse he felt at the time. Hopefully he would have enough time to escape…

* * *

Fox ran through the Army Center as fast he could, time rapidly running out. He noticed that no one but the dead Pakat guards were left in the building – that was good. Everyone else would be safe…

He continued to run past all the rooms and bodies, hoping he would make it out in time. Eventually Fox found the exit – Bill was holding the door open for him, calling his name. Fox flashed a smile, and ran through the door back into the sunlight.

* * *

Draven had given up trying to shake out of the computer – it was to no avail. He looked at the bomb beside him, with just seconds left on the clock. Lichak shut his eyes, accepting his fate, as the bomb went off.


	13. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**The Next Day**

* * *

The bomb had destroyed all of the Army Center, just as it was expected to. However, Bill and the soldiers had taken the drugs out of the cannons just in time, fortunately for Corneria. They even stopped the Pakat guards before watering the drugs, so that they were able to take them out of the cannons without being hurt.

Bill was chosen to be the next General of Corneria for his valiant stand at the Army Center, also replacing the corrupt General Wright. Wright would remain in custody for the rest of his life for treason against the people of Corneria. Ross had been killed by Lichak's guards for ratting him out earlier to the police.

To celebrate the occasion, Fox and Krystal went out to dinner that night, making up for their previous date. Fox was happy to make it up to her, and they obviously enjoyed each other's company. Throughout their adventures together, their relationship had grown stronger and closer. Beltino and Slippy spent the day together, while Falco got together with Katt for a date.

Of course, Bill's first order was to repair the Army Center (and also to have Fox's house fixed). Being an honest and smart general, Bill sorted out the cops and soldiers to dispose of the corruption. Also, all of Lichak's men, including Bonzo, were sent to prison alongside Wright and the other corrupt cops and soldiers.

There would be more crime and dangers to worry about later, but now was a time for peace, celebration, and relaxation. The main sources of corruption had been routed, and the threat of the Pakat was gone. A time had finally come for the Star Fox team, Bill, and the Cornerian Army to have a break, and enjoy their undisturbed time…

* * *

**A/N: Well, I hope everyone enjoyed the story. Remember it's the first in a planned trilogy - I don't know when I'll start writing the second story, but it will come eventually. Of course, it's inspired by The Dark Knight Trilogy, so you may have noticed similar scenes or dialogue in a few places. Thanks to all that gave it support and enjoyed it - I had a good time writing it! Thanks again, and have a great day!**


End file.
